Who can be happy about spending $58 on three wooden boards? Woodworkers, that’s who. I just came back from our local WoodCraft store with three boards in hand. I had a gift card left over from Christmas. It’s a cold and windy day today. I needed a comfort purchase. That’s similar to comfort food, but tastes differently. I’ve been planning this trip since Christmas. I’m working on an idea, have been for a few months. I’m making mental sketches and actual paper ones of wooden briefcase designs. I’ve got a few different styles in mind. I’ll probably make each of them eventually. To begin with, I am settling on one that is a little less involved, both in terms of design and in terms of wood requirements. Using nice (read exotic) wood can be pricey. I just pulled myself away from some very attractive $200 boards at the wood store. I’m going to go with a design that uses finger joinery finished with a roundover bit in the router, and simple rod through holes as a hinge joint. I’ll be doing some hopefully final drawings tonight, using the specs of the actual boards I just purchased to figure the dimensions, and to factor the weight, which will constrain/guide the design. I’ll post pictures when I finish the case. Be forewarned, it could be a while. There are three people here, ages 5, 4, and 3 years, who say I have more important things to do that working in the garage (my woodshop).

This is one of my little girl Abbie’s Christmas presents. I finished it yesterday. I slipped and cut my finger and nail on the scrollsaw blade…my first bad cut. I hope she likes it. It’s darn near unbreakable because the wood I chose, Makore, is so dense. I finished it with linseed oil.

Sometimes making home decor oneself is preferable. It saves money. You get quality. And, it adds a richness to the space because you know you made it. The home becomes more personalized. Here are some samples of what we’ve done.

We didn’t have the heart to take away our kids mass-produced toys when we decided plastic is bad. However, I have given them some other ones to throw into the mix. I enjoy the hobby. We save some money on toys. My kids get to play with natural materials and more unique items. Whatever your talents are, I strongly suggest making some fun for your kids. It will make you warm inside. Here are some samples.